Cult of Reason
λ''' The official symbol of the Cult of Reason. It symbolises that all abstraction can be effectively computed. Background The Cult of Reason presents itself as an antithetical organisation to what it believes are religious sects such as Mundus Oculus. Attracting mostly young Beastkin and humans eager to eke out a reputation in being masters of logic and rationality, the Cult of Reason has formidable influence and a long history in Alcestis - its origins can be traced back to considerably before Valerian rule. However, the Kingdom of Valeria regarded academic interest in science and logic as favourable, and has allowed the Cult to continue amassing power and resources. The Cult of Reason is said to receive funding from Valeria, as well as accumulating considerable profits from obscure research projects, mostly located in the rural terrain of the Burning Sands of Alcestis, away from most of Alcestian society. This allows the Cult to furnish its members with the best exploration equipment, as well as accruing prestige to its name, and hence the names of those associated with it The Cult has undertaken funding for the Luxidi Exploration Expedition, an expedition consisting of Rationalists who are eager to discover the scientific implications of Ruins that have surfaced in the Alcestian desert. Membership Membership to the Cult of Reason is hard-won, and the Cult has been accused of elitism, as well as narrowly defining intellectual prowess. Hopeful candidates have to pass a three-round exam on mathematical principles and the natural sciences, as well as show that they have a firm grasp on the study of logic - abductive, inductive and deductive reasoning is heavily tested. Following which, new members will receive a riddle which they have to solve, leading them to the time, date and location of their interview with the Elder Rationalists. These riddles have been known to stymie even the most determined of candidates, and to date have involved the slitting apart of a live mule for its entrails, candidates running across the Alcestian capital's courtyard while fully nude, and imploding alleyways with chemical means. The tests are meant to evaluate a candidate's intellect, as well as practical knowledge and mettle in the face of fear. Controversy The Cult of Reason has been rumoured to undertake ethically-suspect dealings with thieves from the Mountains in northern Alcestia for vast financial gain. Some of the Cult's previous experiments and expeditions have also left neighbouring villages and cities on the verge of bankruptcy and collapse, as Cult members tend towards the principle of '''for the greater good, pillaging and foraging foodstuffs and materials from the residents around them. These villages, as they are usually in rural locations, have found it difficult to recover from the impact of Cult expeditions, due to their being so disenfranchised from the main cities and capital. The Cult has been said to be cruel, unethical, and unfeeling, and that science has perhaps in this case been more of a bane than boon to the Alcestian people.